People In The News

2022 Exeter Job Corps Academy Graduate Sabina Ulysse named “Student of the Year” RI Hospitality Association’s 32nd Annual Stars of the Industry Awards Ceremony

The RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) and RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF) recently named East Providence, RI resident Sabina Ulysse, a 2022 graduate of the Exeter Job Corps Academy’s ProStart program, as the 2022 recipient of the “Student of the Year Award” at the 32nd Annual Stars of the Industry Awards Ceremony at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC).

Ulysse, a native of Haiti, has lived in the United States since 2018. At a young age, she moved to France with her grandmother and learned the art of cooking from her grandmother and cousins. After coming to the United States with her father, she enrolled at the Edison Job Corps in Edison, New Jersey in July of 2019. There, she built upon her love of cooking by entering the basic culinary arts program.

After graduating from Edison in April of 2021, Ulysse extended her Job Corps experience by joining the Advanced Culinary program at the Exeter Job Corps Academy in Rhode Island. While at Exeter, she worked two summers at George’s of Galilee in Narragansett where she demonstrated her outstanding work ethic and dedication to her team. Under the direction of Chef Mark Bennison, Ulysse and her teammates won the culinary portion of the Rhode Island ProStart® Competition; an adaptation of their award-winning pistachio-crusted lamb chops were featured on the menu at Gregg’s Restaurants & Taverns in May of 2022.

“Sabina has done an incredible job putting the skills she’s acquired through her studies to work,” said Dale J. Venturini, President/ CEO, RI Hospitality Association (RIHA)/RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF). “She is an inspiration to the ProStart® students coming up after her, and we are proud to honor her with this award.”

Sanjiv Dhar of Spice Kraft, Inc. named a “Restaurateur of the Year” RI Hospitality Association’s 32nd Annual Stars of the Industry Awards Ceremony

The RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) recently named East Providence, RI resident and current RIHA Board of Directors member Sanjiv Dhar, president of Spice Kraft, Inc., as the 2022 recipient of the “Restaurateur of the Year Award” in the “Restaurant Group” category at the 32nd Annual Stars of the Industry Awards Ceremony at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC).

Dhar, a native of Calcutta, India, came to the United States to attend graduate school at Johnson & Wales University. Upon successful completion of his degree, he joined Marriott Marquis in New York, NY as a restaurant manager. With his wife as his business partner, Dhar currently owns four Indian restaurants (Kabob & Curry, Chaska, Rasa, and Rasoi) and Indian Accent Catering - a catering brand that services Indian weddings and events at some of the finest venues in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Dhar, a native of Calcutta, India, opened Kabob & Curry in Providence, Rhode Island in 1990 under the umbrella of India House Inc., where he is the president and CEO. In 2006, Dhar started Swades Inc., also operating as its president and CEO, and opened Rasoi, a restaurant specializing in the regional cuisines of India, in Providence. From there, he opened East Greenwich’s Rasa in 2013 via India House Inc., and Cranston’s Chaska through his own Spice Kraft Inc. in December of 2019, just before the start of the pandemic.

“Despite navigating the operations of numerous restaurants throughout the pandemic, he readily joined the Association’s board of directors this year, pledging his time, energy and efforts to help strengthen the organization,” said Dale J. Venturini, President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association (RIHA)/RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF). “For his continued contributions to the industry, we’re proud to honor Sanjiv with this award.”

Dhar’s initial experience working in hospitality came during his time in India, where he managed various outlets of a five-star property in New Delhi. He received a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration/management from Fachhochschule Salzburg in 1985, and a master’s degree in hospitality administration/management from Johnson & Wales University in 1990.